Shi no Tenshi: A Silent Wish
by x Bella Jade x
Summary: Tomoe Hotaru, senshi of death and rebirth, had made a wish and buried it in her heart, once upon a time. Years later, that very wish will emerge from within the deepest recesses of her mind and once dream, will become reality. HotaruTrunks
1. A Tenshi's Beginning

~only a memory away~  
  
as she looks up, she realizes that she may never see her friends again! 'Shimatta,' the girl thought. She somehow had gotten herself landed in another dimension, one she didn't recognize from her travels with Puu, and she didn't know how she got there, let alone how to get back.  
  
~if you need me, you can call me anytime of day~  
  
she looks around, hoping for a portal or one of her friends, but nothing familiar, only a group of people staring at her, astonished, and one making fun of her for being different and new.......  
  
~I'll be there....... it's ok.......~ she glares at the purple haired boy, the one who was making fun of her, and her eyes flash silvery purple and black. Suddenly, the boy is yelping and trying to put out the fire that she accidently caused by getting mad, she had lost control......  
  
~only a memory away~  
  
She now remembers Chibi~Usa, and how angry she would've been with her for setting fire to the boy..... even if it was on accident. She quickly realized she had to stop the fire, and she concentrated hard, and the fire was snuffed out....... she looked around again, the people were still astonished, and the purple-haired was looking at her strangely.......  
  
**************************************************************************** ****  
  
R&R people, (a/n: this story took the longest itme to get posted, please don't flame on the reviews on FanFiction.net, just flame by sending a mean email...... please?) Thankx for reading, and I hope that you liked it...... 


	2. A Tenshi's Performance

Chapter 2: Hotaru's mistake  
  
~look at me, you may think you see, who I really am, but you'll never know it....~  
  
Hotaru was feeling really lonely, and she had refused to open up to anyone. From Vegeta's POV this girl was very strange, and yet she was hiding something. Something he wouldn't know for a while......  
  
~everyday, it's as if I play a part~  
  
She walked around like a wind up doll, doing everything she needed, then curling up in her room in Capsule Corp to think. (Vegeta' sPOV) She is acting like she has to do these things, and only this stuff, like she's on stage or something. I want to know what that onna is hiding......  
  
~now I see, if I wear a mask, I can fool the world, but I cannot fool my, heart.....~  
  
(Hotaru POV) 'I know that I am starting to fall in love with Trunks, but how do I tell him that? Will he even under stand? I feel so vulnerable.....'  
  
~who is that girl I see? Staring straight back at me. When will my reflection show who I am inside?~  
  
I am a different person on the outside than on the inside, and I know it, but nobody else does yet. When I look in the mirror, I see two different people. The me on the inside and the me on the outside.....How will I be able to break it to them? That l'm two different people? I know, I'll tell Bulma first......  
  
~I am now in a world where I have to hide my heart, and what l believe in, but somehow, l will show the world, what's inside my heart, and be loved for who l am!~  
  
I have to hide who I am, and l don't like that, but soon, l won't have to hide anymore. l can just be me, but this will take a while... I wish that I had someone like Puu or Michiru or Haruka here with me to help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
~who is that girl I see? Staring straight back at me. Why is my reflection someone l don't know? Must I pretend that l'm someone else, for all time, when will my, reflection show, who l am, inside....~  
  
l can't stand being like this, l have to see someone about it soon, ne? l mean, l guess that l could stay in pain, but well, pain is pain, and l don't like it........... I don't know why I am still sitting here like a lump, but it' so hard to break things so easily...  
  
~There's a heart that must be free, to fly. That burns, with the need to know, the reason why! Why must we all conceal, what we think, how we feel, must there be, a secret me, l'm forced, to hide!~  
  
l can't hide like this forever, sooner or later, somebody is going to figure out my very thoughts and feelings, it may be Vegeta, it may be Gohan, it may be Goku, it may even be Turnks....... but what will happen when they do? Why am I always so worried.....  
  
~I won't pretend that l'm, someone else, for all time. When will my reflection show, who I am inside? When will my reflection show, who I am inside?~  
  
I will tell them all, and l'll tell them tomorrow................ l just can't wait until l see what they say..... l hope that they take it well....... l'll tell Bulma-san first, she always seemed the kindest and most caring. She may be able to help me when l tell the others..... The only other person I'll tell about Trunks, though, will be Bulma, and she can tell Trunks...... [a/n: for those of you sick people, I mean mirai Trunks, ok?]  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* R&R please people, I would like to have another review before I post the next chapter...... (a/n: It was so hard getting this story up, please don't flame in the reviews, email me your flames.......) 


	3. A Tenshi's Silence Speaks Volumes

Konnichiwa Minna-san! Sorry, but today there's no song... It's been a while since I had internet tho... For my 3 reviewers thanks for keeping my story alive.... There may be some frequent POV changes.... but that's all i know wrong.... Now without further ado.... Shi no Tenshi continues with:  
  
A Tenshi's Silence Speaks Volumes "Bulma-san, there's somthing I need to talk with you about." That was how Hotaru started to talk to Bulma.  
  
**Bulma POV**  
  
Startled, she turned around to see the young girl, Hotaru, talking to her. 'Oh my gosh, she is talking! I wonder what she needs to talk about...' Bulma thought, and she asked, "What is it, dear?" Hotaru blushed. Bulma guessed she was embarrassed. She eagerly awaited what Horatu had to tell her.....  
  
**Hotaru POV**  
  
'She called me dear!' Hotaru thought, blushing. 'Well, here goes!' "I needed to tell everybody this for a while, and I hoped that you could help me to tell them. I am 2 different people." Horatu waited for Bulma to say, "get out of here!", but instead she said, "Anything else?" and Hotaru nodded. "One part of me is extremely dangerous! And she is not to be toyed with. Do you remember when I accidentally set fire to Trunks?" she asked. Bulma nodded and she continued. "Well, that is the other side of me. Make her mad, and your death wish is granted. She's the Shi no Tenshi of the Sailor Scouts. Her name is Sataru... Also known as Sailor Saturn, Senshi of Death and Rebirth."  
  
**Bulma POV**  
  
'"She's the Shi no Tenshi of the Sailor Scouts. Also known as Sailor Saturn, Senshi of Death and Rebirth." Hotaru had said.' Bulma mused. That sounds like Serenity's dimension... And Bulma said, "Of course I'll help you tell the others!" then to her surprise, Hotaru hugged her. Then stopped dead and said, "There's one more thing!" and the horrified look on her face said that it was important.  
  
**Hotaru POV**  
  
"Well.... I like Trunks!" she said, and then in a flurry of midnight black and purple, she was hovering above the spot where she had previously stood, and she was shaking. "Trunks!" Bulma shouted at the top of her lungs. Just as Trunks got into the room, the hovering girl pitched downward rapidly, and fell into his arms unconscious.  
  
**Trunks POV**  
  
As soon as I caught the girl, I felt a warm, tingling sensation. I liked it, but I laid the girl down in the rejuvination tank for healing. It seemed like months later when Hotaru woke up. Kassan had explained everything, and the others had taken it well. Over the time when Hotaru had been asleep, two other strangers had arrived, and they were both senshi. One sporting wavy aqua hair, dubbed herself as Michiru, and another sporting silver hair in a french twist had dubbed herself Serenity. However, they didn't call each other that. They called each other Sere-chan and Michi-chan. Bulma seemed to know Sere-chan, but not Michi-chan. She talked to Sere-chan, calling her that, but called the other Michiru-san. A sign that she didn't know her well. Whereas I called them Serenity-san and Michiru-san. I knew neither, but I somehow knew upon their arrival that they were Hotaru-chan's friends. Serenity-san hung around me more than anyone else, and insists that I call her Sere-chan. I think she has a crush on me. I don't need that right now though, because I really like Hotaru and kassan has told me that she likes me too! I am the oouji no all saiya-jins and I can't even get rid of a girl! How pitiful...  
  
**Hotaru POV**  
  
I watch as Sere-chan hangs all over Trunks-kun. She has no idea that I like him, but every time she asks me what's wrong I say, nothing, I just always feel death. I am connected to it after all, so she believed me. 'I need to talk to Bulma!' I think all the time. Now I finally am gonna talk with Bulma. "Bulma-san?" I asked. "Just call me chan will you? I hate san... It makes me feel like we don't know each other!" Bulma said in a teasingly mad tone of voice, and I felt a bit better. "Bulma-chan?" I asked again. "That's better Hotaru-san" Bulma said. "Hey, that applies to you also! Don't call me san! I don't wanna feel old!" I said. Bulma blushed and said, "OK Hotaru-chan. What is it? You look distraught..." she trailed at the first tear in my eye. "I think that Trunks-kun loves Serenity!" I told Bulma, and now the tears came freely, one after the other in a parade of sorrow, as I sat there, thinking about how Trunks and Serenity were always together. Bulma looked at me, and it looked like she was gonna start crying too.  
  
**Trunks POV**  
  
I was shielding my ki in the hallway, because Hotaru had learned to sense it quite well. I heard her say that she thought that I loved Serenity, and I thought I was gonna die! I now loathed Serenity for the pain she had caused me, when suddenly, Hotaru looked up from her trance-like state of crying. She looked straight at me!  
  
**Hotaru POV**  
  
I noticed Trunks there, and knew instantly that I had to have sensed his pain, for it was now washing over me in torrents. I was almost as if we were tied together, through a type of bond of some sort. All I knew, was that it hurt, and that I had to stop his pain. "What is it?! Hotaru what's wrong?" a female voice called me back to the present. It was Bulma-chan. "Bulma? Do me a favor. Will you?" I asked.  
  
**Bulma POV**  
  
As soon as those words came out of Hotaru's mouth, my mind flashed to her earlier words. ' "Well, that is the other side of me. Make her mad, and your death wish is granted. She's the Shi no Tenshi of the Sailor Scouts. Her name is Sataru... Also known as Sailor Saturn, Senshi of Death and Rebirth." ' Was what I thought of, and I was suddenly scared to know what that other side was like. But that was not why I accepted Hotaru's request. I knew deep down that Hotaru would never let anything painful or terrible happen to me. That's why I accepted her favor. "Sure!" I said. "I'll help in any way possible." No sooner than I said this did I hear Hotaru's familiar voice, only it was echoing through my head. ' "Thanks Bulma-chan. Find out what is paining Trunks then tell me. As we speak, his pain washes over me in torrents, becoming my own pain, feeding my pain and making it much stronger. It could rip me apart from the inside, and leave only Saturn." she said into my thoughts, her voice pausing, only for "breath" and she continued: "I really love him though, and he can't stay in pain, so best get rid of it now!" Hotaru finished in my thoughts.'  
  
**Trunks POV**  
  
After kassan had said, 'Sure, I'll help in any way possible.' I saw some gestures that looked like she was talking to her, but Hotaru's mouth wasn't moving, and there was no sound originating from her area. Her ki was higher though, but that was it. The other strange thing was that kassan was nodding like Hotaru was telling her what she was to ask of, but there was no change in the rest. Even kassan's ki raised a bit. I was truly baffled. Just as suddenly, Hotaru doubled over in pain, and as if in time, a doubled pain wave washed over me. I heard Hotaru whisper "RUN Bulma-chan, RUN!" and kassan ran for her life. Suddenly, Hotaru's ki level had near quadrupled, and that was twice my normal ki. So I powered up to SSJ2, and got ready for anything that might come, and I got ready to bring Hotaru back from wherever she might be going... *********************************************************************** So, how'd you like it minna-san? Please, tho, in reviews, do ya'll prefer chan or san? I'd liketa kno..... But please R&R and keep Shi no Tenshi alive!!!! lol I've always wanted to say sumthin like that..... ~Yumi-chan~ 


	4. A Tenshi Survives

Konnichiwa minna-san! Thanks for the reviews once again! lol Again, there may be some FPOVC's [Frequent Point Of View Changes] but that's all that I know wrong with this, and that's not even wrong. Well, without further ado, Shi no Tenshi continues with:  
  
Chapter 3: A Tenshi Survives  
  
T runks watched helplessly as Hotaru powered up until she was a little more powerful than his SSJ2 form. She then looked down at him. She was a beautiful. Her hair was the same black chin length, but instead of just black, it had silver highlights in it, and was glittered with microscopic, cold stars. She had a veil on, and it was a black band with silver glitter, save the netting part was missing. On the same token, her eyes were emotionless, and blank, all black; she looked like the inhumane creature of her true nature. Her choker was the same midnight black as always, but her fuukuu was different. It was silver, and her skirt stayed black, but the ribbons on the front and back were both a deep purple. Her gloves, too, were a deep purple, and her glaive shown in the light it's destructive powers. The light, however, was a black light, a token of her danger. If it hadn't been for Trunks's love for her, he would've fled at the sight of her decieving beauty, and her seductive figure. He didn't like to fight with those kind of girls, let alone have a relationship with them. However, what kept him there aside from his love, was his desire to have the real Hotaru back. And although this was a part of the real Hotaru, he wanted the Hotaru he was used to back with them. Her power was of the least concern to him, and so he stepped towards her. That was a fatal mistake. Thinking that Trunks was a lethal enemy, Sataru launched an attack. The attack was death ribbon revolution. Trunks quickly teleported to a safe spot, then 5 minutes later, he teleported back to Hotaru, who was sitting there, waiting. Suddenly, she shouted, "Death Ribbon Revolution!" and Trunks was ensnared in the ribbons, not able to teleport fast enough.  
  
**Sataru POV**  
  
Sataru decided to toy with the oouji for a while before she killed him. It would be her greatest victory yet. She wanted to savor it. But, the moment she'd decided to play, that moment was taken by Serenity, to work. They were working with the Ginzoishou to get her back. "One more step, and the oouji gets it!" Sataru warned Serenity. Serenity stopped dead in her tracks, along with the frozen Ginzoishou. Sataru smirked down at the helpless oouji's face, and suddenly saw something she'd never experienced in his eyes. She saw love. She looked at him, and suddenly, she felt helpless. "Oouji. You know of things that I do not. What is going on between you and the Princess?" Sataru wouldn't let herself be diminished by this sudden show of feelings for the Saturnarian princess. They had become one, and she wasn't about to split without killing somebody first.  
  
**Serenity POV**  
  
"Princess?" Serenity asked, "Me?" she looked up. She was really after Trunks's heart. Sataru looked at her. "If you wish to kill the oouji no all sayjins, please, kill me first." she told the deadly senshi. She looked into Sataru's eyes, and for the first time, knew what she felt. She was only being protective of her younger sister, Hotaru, because she loved her. Now, she knew somehow that she had to protect Trunks, because she loved him.  
  
**Sataru POV**  
  
"I am not talking about you, princess, but about the hime no death and rebirth, my younger sister, Hotaru. I will not kill you, I am under your command, and that would be treason. But I am demanding to know what he's done to my younger sister. She is hurt when he is hurt, and she is glad when he is glad. I do not understand it, so I assumed that it was wrong. I just want to know why she hasn't told me about this connection." the marai warrior explained.  
  
**Serenity POV**  
  
Sataru's words struck Serenity down. Hotaru loved Trunks, and apparently that bound her to him, but the young senshi had stepped down, and let Serenity have Hotaru's chance. The young senshi was in a lot of pain, all because her kind heart kept her from getting what she wanted. Serenity stared up with respect at her former senshi, who was now the chief security general for her planet's palace. Serenity bowed, and said, "I do not know of this bond, but it has touched me in a way that you may not understand, my friend. Love is very complex, and having never obtaining the opportunity to experience it is a great loss, and you must have great patience for attempting to understand Hotaru. I wish you the best, but you must go back to your respective planet." Serenity's tears welled up in her eyes, as she kept her feelings bottled up, and her face neutral.  
  
**Neutral POV**  
  
Sataru nodded, and the oouji was released from the disappearing ribbons, and fell to the ground. Serenity rushed over to see if he was okay, and Sataru fell to the ground, detransforming into Hotaru. Trunks stood up, and brushed himself off. "I thought that she was just a part of Hotaru, another transformation level. But that was onlyher older sister?" Trunks didn't understand.  
  
"No, her sister is a huge part of her. Without her sister, Hotaru thinks her life wouldn't be worth living. When we are off on senshi business, Hotaru has her sister. Being one with a great and lonely responsibility, it's good to have an older sister to talk with." Serenity told Trunks, tears rolling down her cheeks. trunks brushed the tears off her cheeks, and told her that he was alright.  
  
**Hotaru POV, Flashback**  
  
"Sataru?" Hotaru asked. She was in her room in the palace, where she and her sister insisted on sharing bunk beds. They were 13 and 14 years old. Hotaru had insisted on having a deep purple and black curtain around her part of the bunk. ' "It keeps my privacy" ' she had said. "Sataru is that you?" she'd asked. A youma had snuck through the system, disguised as Hotaru, but after it entered her room, it had returned to it's normal form.  
  
Hotaru reached slowly for the curtain, and peeked out. She sensed an energy, it was definiately not Sataru's. It was evil. She saw a youma, and she started to panick. She had not had her training yet, and she had no energy to fight. Suddenly she heard, "Death Ribbons, Attack!" and an agonized scream filled the air. Then she heard footsteps inside and outside of her bedroom. Sataru walked towards her. "Hotaru?" she asked, "Are you alright?" and seh yanked the curtain open and hugged her sister tightly. "I thought for sure that I was going to die!" she told her sister. Just then, the security burst in, and saw the dead youma, and Hotaru hugging Sataru.  
  
"What happened here?" the head of security demanded in his high, annoying voice. Sataru turned and glared. "You let a youma into the castle! It could've killed my sister!" she told him. She then thought up an evil idea. "I'm going to tell father that you let a youma into the castle! He'll hire you, and reappoint somebody else!" she shouted in his face. At the time, Sataru hadn't know who her father and mother would reappoint as the new head of security, or she wouldn't have told.  
  
**End Flashback**  
  
Hotaru writhed in her sleep. She didn't enjoy having flashbacks of scary moments. She, of course, didn't know she had been talking in her sleep, and she also didn't know that she was being watched intently by her friends. She calmed down, and then the next flashback started...  
  
**Flashback**  
  
"Okay, Hotaru, you've done well so far, now I want you to reach inside of you, and find your strength. Feel around for your Saturnarian energy. Then bring it up, and channel it into your attack. Attack that target. Your power will stop when it hits it. Good luck." Sataru's voice said. Hotaru quickly found her energy, but she had a hard time bringing it up. When she finally did, she realized that she'd had a hard time, because she'd kept getting more and more energy.  
  
Hotaru stood up, her fuukuu changed with her new powers. She was a beautiful. Her hair was the same black chin length, but instead of just black, it had silver highlights in it, and was glittered with microscopic, cold stars. She had a veil on, and it was a black band with silver glitter, save the netting part was missing. On the same token, her eyes were emotionless, and blank, all black; she looked like the inhumane creature of her true nature. Her choker was the same midnight black as always, but her fuukuu was different. It was silver, and her skirt stayed black, but the ribbons on the front and back were both a deep purple. Her gloves, too, were a deep purple, and her glaive shown in the light it's destructive powers. The light, however, was a black light, a token of her danger.  
  
Hotaru now had absolutely no control over her powers, and she ended up destoying many things, and killing many people, including her mother and father. She saw them, and her energy suddenly stopped flowing, and she screamed.  
  
**End Flashback**  
  
Hotaru bolted upright. She looked around to see Serenity, Trunks, and Michiru staring at her with worried expressions. "Would you people not stare at me like that? It makes me feel even more disoriented." Hotaru grumbled. Michiru, being like Hotaru's mother, sensed something amiss. She leaned over to Serenity, and whispered, "Hotaru-chan isn't alright. Something from her transformation must've removed something important for her to be so off-balance." Serenity nodded and, Trunks's face looked worried then, but it got even more creased and pale after Michiru had finished.  
  
**Trunks POV**  
  
' "Something from her transformation must've removed something important for her to be so off-balance." ' Trunks reviewed Michiru's words over in his head. He was getting paler, but he managed to stay neutral, and not show too much emotion on his face. He walked as calmly as possible up to his quarters, and then he broke down. Hotaru could feel everything that he felt. He had to try not to feel too much pain, or she'd be affected. He felt what she felt, though, too, and he wondered if she knew.  
  
When Trunks found that he could think no more of what could've happened to Hotaru, he went down to the kitchen for a snack. When he got there, he found Hotaru sitting by the table, drinking a vanilla milkshake. He made no move to talk to him, nor did she him. Although the odd painful expression on his face told Hotaru that something was wrong. 'I wonder if she feels my pain right now, now that I'm so close to her...' he thought.  
  
**Hotaru POV**  
  
Hotaru looked up at Trunks. "What's wrong?" she asked him. He paled, and she smirked. It must be something really important for him to pale when she asked.  
  
**Trunks POV**  
  
Hotaru did seem very different and off-balance. It seemed as though her aura had darkened, and her ability to show affection towards people and things was taken from her. It seemed as if all she could feel was pain and death, and she fed on it. "I should be asking you the same thing, Hotaru. What's wrong with YOU?" Hotaru frowned.  
  
**Hotaru POV**  
  
Hotaru frowned. She did feel as if something was missing. She suddenly knew what it was. "I lost my ability to love." She told him.  
  
  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Well, how'd you like chapter 3 minna? I have to go, please R&R for my sake! Ja ne, minna-san! 


	5. A Brief Flashback

Konnichiwa minna-chan! I am here to inform you that this chapter is going to be a flashback chapter. Due to a review I got, I realized that I left you all in the dark by leaving a lot of details out. Thanks to the person who reviewed, I'm sure you know who you are, and I'm also sure that your questions will be answered in this chapter.

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Hotau was thinking about how she'd some to live with the briefs. She recalled it clearly. She looked in her black flame mirror and smiled, thinking of the flames that she'd put on Trunks.

*Flashback* 

Hotaru had just put of the flames that she had accidentally let loose in the purple haired boy. He suddenly had a new respect for her. The aqua haired woman oddly felt bad for the girl, and hoped that maybe she could befriend her. She hoped that in befriending her, she wouldn't get burnt in the process. She walked over to the girl, who backed up a step. "Don't worry, I'm only here to help you. Watashi wa Briefs Bulma," she said to the girl. The girl nodded, and Bulma hoped that it was a good sign for her to be nodding, then the girl spoke. "Watashi wa Tomoe Hotaru, deso. Nice to meet you." Hotaru said to the odd woman, Bulma. Bulma smiled and thought, 'At least she has manners.' Hotaru picked this up, of course, but didn't let on.

Hotaru started to walk away, then realized she didn't have anywhere to stay. "Um, Hotaru?" the aqua haired woman called to her. Hotaru spun. She decided not ot violate the strangers privacy for a second time. "Nani?" she questioned the stranger. Bulma took a deep breath, and Vegeta got a sudden look of panic on his face. "Do you have anywhere to stay?" she asked Hotaru. "ONNA!!!!" Vegeta shouted at Bulma. "Just what the HELL are you doing?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"he shouted. "Obviously you don't need my presence in your household. I'll be on my way." Hotaru said. Vegeta smirked. Bulma wouldn't push it, but Trunks did. "Wait, you have power. I can help to train you, and I am perfectly sure that you're welcome at our home!" he argued. Vegeta growled. Hotaru spun back again to face Trunks. She couldn't believe that the baka who had been making fun of her was now helping her. She decided to accept, just to find out his weakness then pay him back royally. 'I'll put on a shy front, until I see fit.' Hotaru decided. "Ok, I'll come with you…" she said, suddenly shy, and she flew home in Trunk's safe arms.

*End Flashback*

Then, she remembered Bulma asking her, "So, how did you come to like Trunks?" Hotaru also remembered her answer. She thought back to when she first discovered that her need for revenge was because she was attracted to him.

*End Flashback*

AS Hotaru flew home in Trunk's strong arms, she grew steadily more red. Even though she blamed it on the altitude, she knew that she thought Trunks was a bit cute. She smiled, and he said, "What are you smiling for?" he was kind of angry that he'd gotten stuck carrying her.

*Flashback in Flashback*

"Since you had to stick up for the stupid onna, and your mother can't fly, you can fly her home!" Vegeta said angrily, and Trunks agreed, only because he didn't want to cross his father any more. xX Hotaru hadn't heard this conversation Xx

*End Flashback in Flashback*

"Nothing," Hotaru replied, hopes doused. Somehow, Trunks seemed to notice he'd hurt her feelings. He could sort of tell by her authority, that she didn't get to smile very much. "Sorry," he grumbled under his breath, thinking that she wouldn't be able to hear him. "Arigatou goziamazu for apologizing," she said listlessly, the light and fire in her eyes, totally disappeared. Astonished, he talked no more.

**2 Days later**

"Do you need anything?" the young man at her door asked. "N-no, arigatou, anyways." Hotaru blushed. Trunks left the door way. About 2 seconds later, "Are you sure that you don't need anything?" Hotaru blushed again. "Yes I'm sure," she turned from him as he left. 'He's so cute, and pure, and he's also nice. Yet, he's got an off aura, one that seems like something tragic happened in his life, or something's amiss. I wonder if I can help him…..' she thought.

**That night**

"Trunks, may I speak with you?" Surprised, Trunks agrees. "Yes?" he asked, he was slightly nervous. He felt as though he needed to impress this girl, and when she's training, he felt as though when she was fighting, he needed to protect her. Was that why he was nervous? "Did something bad happen to you in your past? Something highly upsetting?" she asked. He nodded. She decided not to pry orally, and just to seek her answer mentally. She thought for a moment, it appeared to him, but she was really trying to break his mental barriers. It proved to be impossible. It couldn't be done, so she asked orally. "What happened?" He was taken aback. He was actually waiting for her to walk away. "My parents were killed. They were murdered by the androids." He proceeded to tell her the whole story about the androids, and how he came from the future. Hotaru nodded, and said, "I'm sorry to hear that." Trunks knew that something had happened to her too. Not as sensitive as she seemed to be, he asked what had happened to her? Not wishing to share this just yet, she said, "One day, you may find out. I do not wish to speak of it. I'm sorry to be a burden." Trunks was just about to say that she wasn't any trouble at all, when he saw midnight colored sparkles, and no Hotaru. As they faded wasy, he thought, 'She's very mysterious, and a bit mature for her age. But then, I don't know her age. She looks to be around, 14, but she is extremely deceiving. She's also very powerful, and yet I still get the feeling that need to protect her. Is this a crush? I never get crushes! This is just a bit ridiculous. I need to stop thinking so much…'

**1 month later**

'She's gotten much stronger, and I can sense a new emotion radiating from her. I just can't put my finger on it. I sense a new emotion in m son, also, but I can tell his emotions, they're the same as mine. He's in love with somebody. He's not radiating there emotions towards anybody, though, so I can't tell who it is. Literally, and emotionally. I should go tell the onna that she needs to get a fighting gi…' Vegeta observed. Bulma walked just then, however, interrupting his train of thought. "Honey, the party is coming soon, who is going to go with Trunks?!" she panicked. A little light bulb went off in Vegeta's head. "The onna can be his girl for the party. I think her name is Hotaru." Bulma's eyes grew wide, but she knew when Vegeta got a hunch, he was not to be crossed. "You tell her then, because I'm not going to." Bulma said. "Fine."

"Onna, you are going to be Trucks's escort for the party that's coming up." Hotaru looked up at him in shock, then emotionlessly, "No, I will not. Find somebody else." Vegeta smirked. "Then find somebody else to continue your training." Hotaru, who had become attached and accostmed to the way Vegeta trained, said, "Fine, I'll be the baka's 'girl' for the party, but only for the party! That includes dancing and holding hands, ONLY!" Hotaru set he limits. "I'll make sure he knows." Vegeta smirked.

**Back to the present**

'So there I have it. I'm stuck going to the party with the many I used ot love, but when I returned to normal. I became incapable of love. I guess technically I still love him, but I am unable to show there emotions until somebody releases me from the depths of my very own soul! Everything is so complicated, I just wish that Trunks would find out how to release me! I don't even know if he loves me! This is ridiculous! I need help!!! Where in tarnation is Setsuna-sama when you need her?!' Hotaru swore to herself. Just then Michiru entered the room.

"I just figured it out! He had to release you, right?" Michiru asked. 'A lot of help you are,' Hotaru thought, "Yes, he does, but he doesn't know how. And I can't ell him unless he guesses correctly." Michiru grinned widely, then whispered something I n Hotaru's ear. Hotaru's eyes grew wide, and Michiru said, "There's no law that says somebody other than you who knows how can't tell your one true love how to release you… So what do you say?" Hotaru smiled slightly, which was all her curse could allow her to do. Michiru realized this, but left the room anyway. She was off to explain everything to Trunks, who would probably need to do this at the party. Hotaru, however, crawled into a ball on her bed to think some more.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kinnichiwa again minna. How'd you like this chapter? I enjoyed writing it, so I hope you enjoyed reading it. Onegai R&R so I know what to write. TTYL

Krysta-chan


	6. A Tenshi's Loss

Sorry it took so long to update, guys, but I promise that I'll have this wrapped up in the next few chapters, and then I'll be updating my next stories. I hope you guys enjoy the next two or three chapters in which this story is going to finish up.  


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Hotaru, however, crawled into a ball on her bed to think some more.

The next morning...

Hotaru had fallen asleep attempting to think about how she could even feel the love that had so recently been feeling for Trunks, that Serenity had unintentionally wrenched from her very own grasp. Bulma walked in just then, and flung open Hotaru's curtains to further wake the young girl.

"Good morning!" Bulma said, trying to get a smile out of the girl that she knew she would be unable to receive, because Hotaru was unable to give it to her.

"What are you doing in here, and so early at that?" Hotaru asked.

"Well, you do remember that today you have to attend the ball with Trunks, ne?" Bulma questioned the still tired princess of Saturn.

"Yes, I unfortunately remember this, why?" Hotaru asked angrily, feeling the pain of hatred for him and Serenity flare up from within herself.

"Take it easily," Bulma said shakily, "I was just going to train you, Setsuna, Michiru, and Serenity on how you must enter, participate, and exit the dinner party. Please, if you could be down at the main ballroom for 8:30 that would be grand!" Bulma said, as she backed her way out the door, a forced smile on her face.

'Hotaru's become most unpleasant since that curse was placed upon her... I do hope that they find a way to break it, and I hope they find it soon...' Bulma thought.

Hotaru sighed aloud in her room. 'I don't mean to be rude and skittish towards my friends, but I just can't help it, with this curse, all I can feel are negative emotions... I honestly hope that they realize that I'm not cross because I'm turning on them all, that it's only this god-forsaken curse upon me... Oh, what shall I do?' Hotaru thought, as she dressed herself for the ball.

2 Hours Later...

"I'm so glad you all showed up, this will make things so much easier on Vegeta and myself." Bulma said, gesturing to a rather angry looking saiyan.

"Keh, you onnas better get this right quickly, I haven't got all day, besides, you're cutting into Hotaru's training time. And not only is it making her angry, but it's making me angry too." Vegeta growled at them, rudely as usual in the early morning.

"Vegeta..." Bulma said sweatdropping.

"He's entirely right, though." Hotaru scoffed, angrily. She knew this was cutting into her training time. The only time she had right now to get rid of her anger from this bloody curse.

"Please Hotaru..." Serenity whispered. 'I never meant for any of this to happen... I just wanted to be with Trunks, but Hotaru always puts everything and everyone before herself. Why does she do such things?' Serenity looked long and hard at Hotaru before the girl's cold gaze fell upon her.

"I don't know why I ever did it before," she told Serenity, who looked horrified that her mind had been read, "But I will never, ever do it again. Not for you, not for earth, not for the moon, and not for-" but Hotaru's declaration of self-centered origin hesitated as she came to Small Lady's name. "And not for the Small Lady." she finished, but her heart had hurt her to say those words. Serenity turned, tears in her eyes, and followed everything Bulma said very closely.

Michiru watched on in silent pain as the thing closest to her daughter was eaten up by a curse she had taken on in an effort to keep her Queen happy. Michiru decided that it was now or never to fix this curse. As soon as Bulma finished, Serenity ran out of the grand ballroom, Michiru glided gracefully towards Trunks's quarters, and Hotaru flew out, smirking grandly to mask her pain and anger, with Vegeta to train until a few hours before the ball.

In Trunks' room

"Trunks, look. I have to tell you this now, or you'll never figure it out. Technically, Hotaru is bound not to tell you this, or tell anyone to tell you this. You're supposed to figure it out. But you are the only person who can break this curse. If you love her you have to tell me now, because if you don't there is no hope for her. Because there is no pretending." Michiru said hurriedly.

"I love her. I would die to save her." Trunks replied to Michiru, who smiled with tears still in her gorgeous aquamarine eyes.

"Since she didn't tell me to tell you this, it should work. Let's pray to Serenity the first that it does! You have to proclaim your love for her. Your love must not only be told to everyone at the ball but it must be sealed with a very intimate kiss. If you are indeed pretending to love her, she will only die because of it." Michiru watched carefully for anything negative in Trunks's reaction. But there was nothing. And so she let him speak.

"I've... er... never kissed anybody before." He told her. Michiru, who had turned around, spun back around twice as quickly.

"W-what!" she asked him.

"Nope, never." he replied sheepishly.

"Oh my... Well, I guess we'll just have to fix that, now won't we? Not in a sense of actually letting you kiss someone, but just teaching you how to position yourself in a manner that would be comfortable to kiss people in." Michiru said.

"Oh, lovely. You mean you're going to teach me?" he asked, his voice shaky.

"Do you have a better idea? The ball is in 5 hours." Michiru pointed out coldly. She only wanted her daughter back. It wasn't exactly her daughter, but Hotaru was the closest thing that she and Haruka had to a child.

"No, that will be fine, it's just that, it'll be hard to do something like that with somebody who I don't have feelings for." he replied reasonably.

"Would you rather me get Serenity?" she asked evilly.

"Absolutely not!" he replied.

"Then think of me as Hotaru." She scoffed, turning on her heel to leave. "I'll be back in an hour. You better be here, or there will be hell to pay for you."

"Yes ma'am!" he replied shakily.

Training

"Great job Hotaru. And by the way, nice gi. Where did you get it?" Vegeta asked her, smirking as usual.

"Sataru gave it to me. As a present. It's from home." she replied. The gi was black with purple sparkles woven into the fabric. They sort of outlined the symbol of Saturn in the middle of it, but those sparkles were silver.

"Yes, it's catching. Maybe I can get Bulma to make me one with a V and green sparkles." he said, mocking her.

"Do not mock me. You forget how much more powerful I can become when angry. And then it doensn't matter how I use that power, just how much of it I decide to unleash." Hotaru struck back.

"I'm only kidding, don't be hasty." Vegeta scoffed. He didn't exactly enjoy being told off by a child, or one who appeared so in both appearance and knowledge. "Just how OLD are you anyway?" he asked her, rather randomly.

"If you don't count each death I've gone through... I'm 174 years old." she replied, her voice rather calm, and completely truthful.

"Well, then I guess you are just a tad older than me as well?" he said, making his voice light as it could get, as they made their way back into the house.

"I'm going to get ready for the ball, if you don't mind." she said coldly, and she glided away from him and up to her quarters.

"Not at all." he muttered when she was well out of ear shot.

Trunks's Room

"Well, I hope you're ready to learn this. It's rather simple." Michiru had arrived a moment ago, and Trunks was extremely pale, and still shaking.

"I- I ... I'm ready as I ever will be." Trunks stuttered.

"Good," she told him, and she said, "Step up until you are nearly pressed against me." Trunks looked at her and she glared at him. He stepped up to her. "Good. When you step up to Hotaru, your body will be touching hers, but since I'm not her, I see no need." Michiru said. It did indeed amuse her just how shaky this boy was getting. He nodded, his pale color unchanging still. "Place your hand _lightly_ on my hip. On Hotaru's you would place it commandingly, so she doesn't feel your fear and step away from you. And you'll need to do this all in one sweeping motion, or she'll realize what you're doing."

"Um, Michiru... How do I know she won't be expecting me to do something?" he asked her.

"You don't." she replied. "That's good, just like that. The other hand will support the back of her neck, just around here." Michiru took his other hand and placed it with his palm in the middle of her neck and his fingers curved to fit her neck's curve. "You feel that? That's one of the most liked and comfortable positions for both a male and female to kiss in."

"That makes sense, it doesn't seem like it would cramp to easily," Trunks said, glancing in the mirror, "and it looks classy, too." he told Michiru.

"All right! You're getting it!" she told him. "Now, let's go through all of this quickly, so that you can take Hotaru by surprise." she said, and he nodded. "We'll start by mock dancing." he nodded, and took Michiru into a friendly dancing position. Then suddenly, but with all the smoothness and grace with someone who'd been doing such romantic things all of his life, Trunks swept her into the comfortable, but not too close position that he had learned only moments before.

"That was really good!" Michiru said, smiling, taken a bit by surprise. "Now, to teach you actually how to kiss..." Michiru said, and he got even more pale. "Not to worry, I won't be kissing you. Just telling you how to do it. Hopefully it works well enough to make your earlier grace look even better, and show more of your love." she smirked, slightly.

"O-okay." he told her.

"Now listen carefully. Don't do exactly as I say just yet, until you understand." she paused while he nodded, then continued, "When you kiss someone, or go to kiss someone, you close your eyes. See why I said don't do anything yet?" smiling, she went on, "You leave your lips slightly open, and make sure that they're a bit moist, because then they're softer, too. I will touch them with my fingers to see if you understand. Now do what I've said so far, and move forward slightly." she said.

Trunks wet his lips a little and pursed them for a second. Michiru nodded, and he closed his eyes slowly, leaning forward slightly with his lips ever so fractionally open. She reached out a finger and brushed it across each of his lips.

"Well done, Trunks." she told him. He smiled in relief, some color returning to his face.

"Now all I have to do is keep my nerve, and I hope I remember all of this." he said, laughing shakily.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine." Michiru told him.

Serenity's Room

'I wonder if that was the curse talking, or if Hotaru-san really meant that?' Serenity thought, laying on her bed. 'After Endymion died, all I really ever thought about was myself. The only one who cares for Rini-chan the most really is Hotaru. I hope I didn't push her over the edge!' Serenity lay, in tears, on her bed up until the hour of which she got ready for the ball.

Her white dress was rather pretty. It was a halter top that reached the neck in the front, but had a low back. On the dress itself, there were white glitter threads embroidered as flowers and leaves into the silky fabric. Tying the silky white ribbon that held the dress to her neck and essentially onto her body, Serenity smiled tearfully. 'Hotaru loved this dress on me when I wore it to my wedding to Endymion.' she thought. She pulled her hair up into meatballs with pig tails that were wavy, and her silver hair held pearls around each ball, with her signature crescent moon pendant around her neck, marking her as the Neo Queen of the Moon. Her normal crescent moon earrings were also in their place, to be used as quick communicators if need be. 'Minako-chan, I wish you were here.' she thought. Sighing, she walked down to be announced into the ball with one of Trunks and Gohan's friends.

Michiru's Room

'I hope that Trunks will pull this off!' Michiru thought. She then donned a gorgeous, strapless aquamarine dress. The thick fabric had an underlying fabric to make it stay pushed out except where it was supposed to show her figure. It fell in a classy slant to the ground after hugging her hips, and was kept pushed out by the underlying fabric. She left her hair in it's normal wavy style, and put in her favorite white pearl earrings. She placed a gold chain around her neck with an aquamarine jewel inside the gold heart, which was her transformation stone in the case that she needed it. Smiling wearily, she joined Serenity in the entrance hall.

Hotaru's Room

In her room, Hotaru snapped her fingers. 'If I weren't so shy as a front, I might have an ego about the way I look in this dress.' she thought to herself conceitedly. It was a black dress with a tight figure the whole way down. There was a very thin top fabric which came down further than the layer beneath and was cut jaggedly, and twirled out as she turned. The spaghetti straps were lined with sequins on the elastic, and the back tied across a small gap that showed her back.

Leaving her hair normal wasn't much to pleasing her, so she snapped her fingers and caused a silver chain tiara to appear in her hair. Deciding she liked it, she put in the matching fountain earrings. Then her favorite necklace, the silver chain with and S, and H, and a T combined into a beautiful, but small, symbol, was on her neck after snapping her fingers.

"Just right. Maybe then those fools will realize who I really am. The royal Princess of Saturn. I have been and always will be!" Hotaru said to herself, as she left to join the rest in the entrance for the ball, where she and Trunks would be announced last.

Trunks's Room AGAIN

'Oh wow, I hope everything goes correctly, I don't want to mess things up for Hotaru!' he thought, as he put on his suit and pulled his long hair back into a ponytail. Even without trying, his gorgeous hair fell into his deep, magnificent eyes, making him look even more attractive. His silver hoop earring was in place, as usual, and although his mother would hate it, he'd leave it in because maybe Hotaru would like it.

He walked down the stairs and through his humongous house to the other end where the grand ballroom was located. There, as all of the guests were finishing up with their announcements and entries, Hotaru stood with Michiru and Serenity.

"You look wonderful." Trunks said to Hotaru. She merely looked at him, and scoffed. Serenity was announced next, and she walked into the ballroom with who Trunks recognized as Trey, Gohan's and his friend from school. After their grand entrance, Michiru wished him a silent good luck that echoed through his mind as she spoke it in hers, and she walked down, announced with Ryuichi, another friend from school.

"And last, but never least, our most important guests, Hotaru, the Princess of Saturn, and Trunks, the Prince of the Saiyans!" the man announced. Hotaru gracefully took Trunks's arm, and smiled an evil smile, one only he and those who came to know her would recognize. The sign of her knowledge of death in the midst. As they walked in to the tumultuous sound of applause, Hotaru whispered something to Trunks.

"You will never save her. I am the Shi no Tenshi of death and rebirth. I am her. She will not ever love you again." she grinned evilly.

"No..." Trunks whispered, a silent tear streaming down his still fake smiling face.

* * *

SOOOO SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO GET THIS UP! I hope you all liked it, and if it isn't finished in the next chapter, it will be in the chapter after that. Please review, but any flamers, if you could please email them to me I'd appreciate it!

Sincerely, Jade Hallet


	7. Sealed with a Kiss

Next chapter... I'm sure you're all so excited. ;; Well, here's the beginning of the end! Have fun reading it!

"No..." Trunks whispered almost in defeat. Then he closed his eyes for a moment, and he saw the true Hotaru and her gorgeous smile. He smiled at the image and replied to her once more, "I'll save the real Hotaru. I love her, and you can't ever stop her from being true to her heart."

Looking slightly surprised at his courage, Hotaru recovered quickly, and walked on until the ball could progress to dinner, and then some more dancing.

"You really look nice, Hotaru-chan!" Bulma said. Gracefully, she replied,

"Why thank you Bulma-chan, you do as well!" Trunks watched this in amazement because before she had scoffed at him, and then just told him off for loving her. Then he realized that this wasn't really her.

The ball involved little dancing toward the beginning. When dinner came around, Bulma had Vegeta go up and say a few words before calling Hotaru and Trunks up to the microphone.

"This girl is an amazing fighter, and gifted in talent, grace, and skill. I'm very happy to say that she's also a quick learner. Her name is Hotaru Tomoe, and she's come to us the entire way from Saturn. She is their princess, and soon will be the Saiyan Queen!" he said. Hotaru looked at him with narrowed eyes. Trunks smirked evilly at her, which she noticed. Then Vegeta handed Trunks the microphone, and Vegeta held Hotaru still on the stage, she didn't struggle after she felt his grasp on her, and he whispered something into her ear about discontinuing her training.

"Thank you father." Trunks said, accepting the microphone, and watching him hold Hotaru in place. "When I first met her, she accidentally set me on fire. She's done the same thing to my heart every day after that. Hotaru, I love you so much, and I'm so glad you've accepted my proposal to become my wife." Trunks said warmly, some tears in his eyes.

Michiru and Serenity both looked surprised to hear this, although they clapped along with the rest of the crowd. They didn't think that she'd truly accepted yet, but they trusted that Trunks had a plan.

"I'd like to play the song, "Let Me Be Your Wings" for us to dance to." Trunks said to the D.J. The man nodded, and he began to play the love song, while Vegeta took the mic and announced that Trunks and Hotaru would have this first dance alone in the middle of the floor. And as the first strains came on, Trunks placed his hands on his hips as Michiru had earlier instructed.

'Let me be your wings  
Let me be your only love  
Let me take you far beyond the stars

Let me be your wings  
Let me lift you high above  
Everything we're dreaming of, will soon be ours

Anything that you desire  
Anything at all  
Every day, I'll take you higher,  
And I'll never let you fall

Let me be your wings  
Leave behind the world you know  
For another world of wondrous things

We'll see the universe  
And dance on Saturn's rings  
Fly with me and I will be your wings

Anything that you desire  
Anything at all  
(Anything at all!)  
Every day I'll take you higher  
And I'll never let you fall!

You will be my wings  
(Let me be your wings)  
You will be my only love  
Get ready for another world of wondrous things!

We'll see the universe  
And dance on Saturn's rings!  
Heaven isn't too far  
Heaven is where you are

Stay with me and  
Let me be your (You will be my) wings!'

They danced the entire song, with Hotaru's eyes slightly narrowed in anger. Then, just as the song was ending, Trunks pulled Hotaru close to where their bodies were touching, and he slid his hand onto the back of her neck. He placed his other hand on her hip, and pulled her neck in closer. He waited until he was an inch from her face and he slowly closed his eyes, and kissed her. Shocked, and her eyes still open, Hotaru tried to return the kiss.

At first, her other half wouldn't let her do so. Then as the curse began to lift, she closed her eyes, and sank into the magnificence she had waited for since the day she had met him. Her arms went around his neck, and pulled him closer to her, and the sparkles from the curse floated in a glorious silver out of her and into the air where they disappeared from the view of all of the people around them. They all applauded loudly, and Hotaru finally relaxed into Trunks's waiting arms.

Michiru was equally surprised at this easy transition, and although she knew that the Shi no Tenshi was safely locked away again and the curse was lifted, she couldn't help but feel concerned. She decided to return to her dimension and bring back Haruka to help her assess the issue. Spinning on her heel, she left with a mental message to Serenity who would explain things to Hotaru.

"Trunks, thank you so much!" she said to him.

"You're welcome!" he said to her. "There's just one question." he told her.

"What is it?" she asked him.

"Will you be my queen? For real?" he asked her.

"O-of course!" Hotaru accepted gleefully.

"I love you Hotaru!" he said to her.

"I love you too, Trunks!" she kissed him again, and they danced the rest of the night.

Okay, so this isn't the last chapter, there's one more. And it's longer, again. ;; I'll see you all in the grand finale! –Jade Hallet


	8. Healing a future

-grins- This is not the last chapter. I know, I know, I keep lying, but it's not the last chapter!

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Several months had passed since the curse had been lifted from Hotaru. Trunks was the happiest Vegeta had ever seen him, and each time Bulma saw Hotaru and Trunks together, she had to resist the urge to cry. Michiru had returned with Haruka and Setsuna, who both told Michiru that there was nothing for her to worry about, Trunks had done a great job at lifting the curse from their Princess of Death.

-- Flashback --

"Sere-hime?" Hotaru had approached, rather timidly.

"What is it, Hotaru-chan?" the girl had replied warmly.

"W-would you like please bring Small Lady to this dimension? I would like her to be my maid of honor." Hotaru said, relaxing slightly.

"Of course!" Serenity had answered, and she left at once.

--End Flashback--

Hotaru sighed. It had been nearly a week since Serenity had left to go and get Rini.

"Hotaaaaaaaaruuuuuuu!" someone shouted her name from the first floor. Being on the third floor, Hotaru would have barely heard them if it weren't for the boredom heightening her senses. Even though she was about to get married, she still wasn't busy. You'd think someone planning their wedding for eight months would be rushing around. Not Hotaru. She finished everything of her part in the sixth month. The wedding was in three months. May 18th, was the date to be precise.

"Cooooming!" Hotaru replied, teleporting down the stairs. She figured it would waste some of the energy she'd seemed to have so much of lately. Reaching the first floor, she looked up quickly to see Rini standing before her. "RINI !" Hotaru shouted, sprinting over to her best friend in the world and embracing her fondly.

"Hotaru." the girl said in a sigh. "I've missed you so much. You just left without a trace... It scared us so much... And now, almost a year and 8 months later, you're getting MARRIED!" Rini laughed.

"It is all still a little surreal when it comes to my wedding day." Hotaru replied. "Do you want to come and see my room?" Hotaru asked.

"Sure!" Rini answered enthusiastically.

"Hang on, I've gotta find Serenity." Hotaru said, frowning lightly. "Serenity?" she asked, walking through the first floor, searching for the queen.

"She's in the sitting room." Bulma replied from the kitchen.

"Thanks, Bulma." Hotaru said, heading in the opposite direction.

"Serenity?" Hotaru asked, peeking into the sitting room. Trunks and Vegeta were the only ones in there.

"She went outside." Vegeta grunted, obviously angry that she'd interrupted his conversation with his son.

"Thanks, Veggie." she said, laughing, and ran from the room, dodging energy balls.

"Serenity?" Hotaru called, for a third time as she wandered outside looking for her friend. She wandered all around the grounds until she came to her favorite tree. Sighing, she wanted to climb into it, only to look up to see Serenity, crying. "My Lady... what's wrong?" Hotaru asked, leaping to her side almost immediately.

"Oh, Hotaru." Serenity said, smiling weakly. "It's nothing, hon. You don't need to worry about me. Go and spend some time with Chibi Usa." Serenity brushed it off.

"I can tell when something tragic has happened, you know, its aura is all over you. If you don't tell me what's going on in my own time, I'll postpone my wedding and go find out for myself." Hotaru warned. The feel of deep tragedy had seeped into Serenity's own aura causing Hotaru to shudder for a moment before continuing. "And you can't stop me, even if you want to."

"Oh Hotaru..." Serenity sobbed, suddenly launching herself into the unexpecting girl's arms. Serenity sat there, sobbing and sobbing as if tomorrow would never come. As if her grief would never fully come out, and would weigh on her soul until the day she died.

"My Lady...?" Hotaru asked again, this time confused. She frowned at the open way her queen was breaking down into an oblivion.

"I'm sorry, Hotaru..." Serenity sat up, drying her tears. She had cried for a good ten minutes before letting up.

"It's alright, milady... please, tell me what ails you!" Hotaru begged.

"It's, I... Oh, it's dreadful." Serenity couldn't bear to say it, it seemed, but Hotaru took her time. "Endymion and I, well, we had planned on having another child... A few short months back, 7 really, I had conceived a child. It took me so long coming back with Chibi Usa, because I had to visit the palace doctor. You see... there had been complications with the baby, and I didn't want to worry any of the subjects I'd come to visit in this dimension, because I wasn't ready to announce my pregnancy yet. But I had none of the normal symptoms of a pregnancy, either. When I went back, I went straight to the palace doctor, and..." Serenity broke off in a sob. Hotaru patiently waited for her to finish, even though she seemed to know what would be coming. "Well, she said that the baby had been growing, but it hadn't been feeding off of enough of the nutrients available to it, and it had died in my stomach. She said it won't grow anymore, and I have to wait three more months until it comes out, but it will be born a stillborn." Serenity finished. She began to weep again as she had earlier, breaking down.

"I'm so sorry, Serenity." Hotaru said sincerely. She truly felt for her queen, and could tell that the woman was heartbroken. "Please, you need to come inside. I'll get you something to eat, and you can lie down for a while." Hotaru said, hoping her queen would agree.

"T-thank you, Hotaru." Serenity replied, quietly. Hotaru hopped down from the tree with Serenity on her back like a cat. She walked back to and into capsule corp., Serenity clinging to her like a Koala who was 50 feet off of the ground in a eucalyptus tree. Hotaru carried her up to her room, and said, "Lay down a while, and I'll bring you something to eat." Serenity nodded, and Hotaru left to get her food.

Teleporting down to the kitchen, Hotaru put some mac and cheese on the stove to cook. She then began searching for some sensu beans. So Serenity would feel better after eating and sleeping. Finishing up the mac and cheese, Hotaru took a bowl out with a spoon. Spooning the mac and cheese into the bowl with one hand, and crushing up a sensu bean into the cheesy mix with the other, Hotaru didn't notice Trunks standing there watching her. Her face had a look of deep concentration, that her furrowed brow only heightened. Finishing up, she got a glass of milk, and a small tray. She placed the food on it, and made to exit the kitchen by teleporting, only to find Trunks in the doorway, smiling amusedly at her.

"Can we talk, sweetheart?" he asked her. Hotaru smiled painfully.

"Can it wait? There's someone I need to take care of first." Hotaru answered honestly.

"Who could be more important than me?" Trunks pouted.

"Right now, my queen is. She's very upset, but will be sleeping soon. I promise I'll find you and talk then." she offered, hoping he wouldn't be angry, or upset. He nodded and walked out.

"I'll be in my room!" he called, his back retreating away from her. She teleported up to the guest room, and greeted Serenity with her food.

"Here, mac and cheese, and milk." Hotaru smiled, placing the tray in front of Serenity.

"Thank you." the queen replied. Serenity ate her food hungrily, and despite the look on Hotaru's face, Gulped her milk down like someone who hadn't eaten for a while. And suddenly it was plain that she hadn't. Hotaru checked back the shocked look that fought to form on her face.

"Now, get some rest. _Sleep._" Hotaru commanded, picking up the tray. Instantly, Serenity fell asleep. 'Good.' Hotaru thought. She teleported down to the kitchen, left the tray next to the sink, and teleported back.

"You won't be depressed again for long, my queen. I owe you my life, and then some, and now, I'll have the chance to repay a part of that debt." Hotaru whispered, pushing a lock of Serenity's silvery hair off of her face. Placing both hands slightly cupped over Serenity's stomach, she spoke softly, prayed, "Please, let this work!" over and over. Focusing her energy at the dead point she could now so easily see inside of Serenity, she watched as her hands began to grow steadily purpler, until the light of it was almost blinding. Inside the light, a black torso began to move, and twitch slightly, as if a heartbeat was suddenly present. And it was. "You will grow quickly over a short time, and you will be born a normal, healthy child, whatever gender you are supposed to be." Hotaru whispered, her will being done, the glow receded, leaving odd lighting spots in her eyes. Hotaru felt drained, but nonetheless left Serenity in a peaceful sleep to find Trunks.

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"Trunks!" Hotaru said, collapsing tiredly into his arms.

"What's wrong dear, you look exhausted?" Trunks questioned her.

"I just used up a lot of energy comforting Serenity to sleep, that's all." Hotaru replied.

"Your ki is slightly higher. Did you use energy to put her to sleep?" Trunks asked, prying. She hated that, but answered anyway.

"Yes, she was having trouble sleeping, so I helped her along. Nothing big." Hotaru answered smoothly. 'Nothing big, something huge...' she thought to herself with a tired smile. "So what was it that you wanted to talk about?" she asked, doing her share of the questioning.

"Well, we've been planning our wedding for six months now, and I just wanted to ask you if you'd like to start planning the honey moon?" he answered with a question.

"Oooh!" Hotaru squealed excitedly, "Yeah, let's start planning that! I've got lots of free time. Who knows, maybe we could even take our honey moon in my time?" Hotaru suggested. Trunks grinned.

"That sounds like fun." he replied, leaning in to kiss her. But that quick kiss soon turned into more, and before either of them knew it, they were so enveloped in kissing that if someone had walked in, they wouldn't be able to tell were Hotaru started and Trunks ended, or vice versa.

Finally breaking off, Trunks smiled. "I guess I got carried away?" he asked, grinning.

"Nah, I could've pushed you away if I'd have thought you were going too far..." Hotaru teased. She kissed him one more time, and then left the room, where she could go for a flight by herself and enjoy the night time air.

-----------------

'Oh my gosh, I forgot all about Chibi Usa!' Hotaru thought on her way back from her short flight. She raced back from her trip to go and find her friend.

"Rini?" Hotaru asked, calling out her friend's name.

"They're all in Bulma's room. They're looking at the bridesmaid gowns you picked out, Hotaru." Vegeta replied gruffly.

"Thanks, Veggie..." she said in a hurry, dodging another barrage of energy blasts, and teleported to Bulma's room. "Oh my gosh, Rini, I'm sooooo sorry. GOMEN NASAI! Can you please forgive me?" Hotaru said, standing in front of her friend.

"Yeah, I already have." Rini replied, laughing at her friend. Although her appearance did kind of startle the group, they had thought she'd been with Trunks. At least, Bulma had mentioned seeing them in the kitchen talking. "But we're looking at the dresses. We'll go and get them two weeks before the wedding, right? I mean, we'll order them, but we'll have all of the minor adjustments made two weeks before hand, ne?" Rini asked Hotaru.

"Yes, of course. At the same time as they make the adjustments to my wedding dress." Hotaru nodded. "So you want me to show you around tomorrow, then?" Hotaru asked.

"Yes, that will be fine." Rini grinned. At that, since it was late, Hotaru rejoined Trunks in his room after putting on her pajamas, and they fell asleep together, embracing each other for warmth and comfort.

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Well guys, that about covers chapter eight. Hope you like it, and look forward to the wedding next chapter, and possibly the last!


	9. Not Alone for Much Longer

-laughs- Please don't hate me, this isn't the last chapter either. The next one should be, though. ;; (I know, I know, I keep saying that. lol)

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The next morning dawned the same as the last, but with the most wonderful prospect of a new beginning. Hotaru dressed, and went down to the kitchen, where she found Serenity and Bulma.

"Good morning minna-chan." Hotaru greeted them with a smile. Bulma smiled, and waved her cooking flat but Serenity just looked up at her, and Hotaru noticed her eyes glistening with tears.

"Would you like some french toast?" Bulma asked cheerily.

"Sure." Hotaru replied, sitting next to Serenity, who was heartily eating two pieces of the french toast Bulma had made already. Bulma sat down a plate in front of her and Hotaru began to help herself to the fresh stack of french toast Bulma had placed on the table.

"Milady?" Hotaru asked mildly, hoping to get some kind of response from Serenity.

"The baby kicked. It's not supposed to be able to kick." Serenity frowned, some tears running down her cheeks.

"Well..." Hotaru started, but stopped at the accusatory look on Serenity's face.

"Did you do this?" Serenity asked quietly.

"I, uh, would you-"

"It's a yes or no question, Hotaru." Serenity cut her off curtly.

"Yes, yes I did." Hotaru lifted her chin in defiance, and stuffed her mouth full of syrup-y french toast pieces.

"Thank you." Serenity's face slid into a slow smile, and several more tears escaped the confines of her eyes. Hotaru swallowed her food quickly, forming a pain in her throat that would dissipate quickly.

"Anything for you, my queen. After all, wasn't it you who gave me a chance to be with my father again?" Hotaru gave Serenity a warm smile, and when she had finished her food, Serenity cleared her plate. She hugged Hotaru and left the room.

"Well, that went a little better than I thought it would." Hotaru said, smiling. Soon after the rest of the group decided to join them and the kitchen became cozy with morning talk and grumbling about it being to early to be out of bed. After finishing her breakfast, Hotaru gave Trunks a quick kiss, and then headed up to her room to wait for Rini, who she was going to give the grand tour. Then they were going to order the bridesmaids dresses and the wedding gown.

"Wow, Ms. Bulma is such a good cook!" Rini said, entering the room. Hotaru smiled at her.

"Well, let's start your grand tour, whaddaya say?" Hotaru grinned. Rini's eyes got real wide, and her face spread into a huge smile.

"Yes yes yes!" She was just like the little sister Hotaru had never had. Hotaru and Rini set off, Rini a tad bit behind Hotaru, as they went into a tour of the grand mansion that Bulma, Vegeta, and Trunks lived in.

"This floor, the third, is where all of the bedrooms are located, except the master suite. My room, Trunk's room, and the "honey moon suite" as Bulma likes to call it, are located on this floor, along with many of the other guest rooms. About 10 total, not including the suite." Hotaru said. They wandered into the suite, which Hotaru and Trunks had already begun to repaint and decorate as their own.

"As you can see, Trunks and I are going to move in here once we're married." Hotaru smiled.

"I do see. And it looks like it'll be wonderful." Rini agreed with a grin.

"Moving down to the second floor, this is where the master suite is located, as well as the excercise room, a spare bathroom, a wash room, and a game room den sort of thing." Hotaru showed Rini each of these rooms briefly, and they went downstairs again.

"This first floor is for the family room, formal living and dining rooms, the den, and the kitchen. There's a powder room down here, too." Hotaru told Rini. But Rini was already looking to the hallway marked "Eastern Wing".

"What's down there?" Rini asked before Hotaru could tell her.

"That's Bulma's company, Capsule Corp." Hotaru said. "Unfortunately, I don't believe I'm authorized to give you a tour of that, however, I'm sure if you asked Bulma really nicely, she'd give you one, and maybe a free capsule." Hotaru smiled lightly.

"Nice. Is there anything else?" Rini asked innocently.

"No, I believe that's it." Hotaru said thoughtfully, then nodded. "That's it, yes. Now, to go and order those gowns.." and the two of them headed hastily back up the stairs toward the master suite to meet the rest of the wedding posse.

Bulma, Serenity, Michiru, and Setsuna were sitting on the master bed when they got back upstairs.

"Setsuna!" Hotaru exclaimed when they saw her.

"Puu!" Rini yelled, launching herself into the older woman's arms.

"Now, now. I know you haven't seen me for a while, but that's no reason to attack me." Setsuna smiled.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you." Hotaru smiled warmly at her surrogate mother.

"You have a lot to do. Why don't we get started?" Setsuna suggested.

"Of course." Hotaru and Rini sat down on the huge, plush bed, and they all opened the magazine.

"This is what I picked out for you guys. I hope you like it." Hotaru blushed a little. The dresses she gestured to were gorgeous; they started out silver, with 3 inch wide sleeves that held to the arms at the very edge of the shoulders. They were form fitting, up until the mid-thigh, which was where they opened up ever so slightly. They faded to gold, and where they opened up, the design became pleats that spun out when they twirled. All of the girls gasped when they saw them—they were beautiful dresses. Hotaru had chosen very well.

"What does your wedding gown look like, Hotaru?" Rini asked. Everyone laughed a little bit, because Rini was still such a small lady.

"It looks exactly like your bridesmaid's gowns, only it's white. And it has roses embroidered at the waist, in white thread. The satin is bunched a little, on my shoulders and chest, too, and instead of a full back, like you guys have, I have a lace-up back that starts about mid-lower back." Hotaru said, smiling.

"Wow, that sounds amazing!" Rini said, her voice sounded like she was off in her own world, imagining Hotaru in that dress.

"Thank you." Hotaru said, blushing; she was imagining the way Trunks would look at her in that dress. The girls sat there, talking and giggling for a while. Finally, Serenity was the one to end the fun.

"I must retire to my room. I need my rest." she smiled warmly at Hotaru.

"Just remember to be ready to leave around eight tomorrow morning." Michiru reminded the queen.

"Eight tomorrow morning?" Serenity questioned.

"Yes, that's when the dress fittings are going to be. Don't worry, you'll still look beautiful, even pregnant. And when your pregnancy is over, we can have the dress re-fitted so that you can still wear it." Hotaru informed her. Serenity smiled broadly.

"What would I do without you girls?" she asked, laughing a little bit.

"You'd go insane." Bulma said seriously. They all started laughing at that, and then they left for their separate rooms.

The next morning, at 7:30, they all gathered in the living room of the mansion. They all looked relatively tired, but it wasn't that big of a deal. Their faces were all glowing. Rini, Setsuna, Michiru, Bulma, and Serenity greeted Hotaru, who was the last to get to the living room. Trunks hadn't wanted her to get out of bed. Hotaru blushed.

"Are you all ready to leave?" she asked, embarrassed.

"What kept you, Hotaru-chan?" Bulma prodded.

"N-nothing!" she answered quickly, her face growing more red.

"Sure it was nothing." Bulma answered spinning around. "Alright ladies, it's out to the van for us!" she said excitedly, and headed out the front door. They all followed suit, and piled into the van. They got to the dress shop a little bit before eight. "Since I'm the last to have my dress fitted, why don't I swing by the corner store and get us all muffins and tea for breakfast?" Bulma offered.

"That would be wonderful!" Serenity smiled. Setsuna and Michiru nodded their agreement, simply murmuring "Arigatou."

"Awesome!" Rini exclaimed, grinning.

"Yes, thank you. But I'm actually the last fitting." Hotaru laughed.

"You knew what I meant." Bulma laughed, as well, and got back into the van to get muffins and tea for the girls. The rest of them entered the dress shop, and sat down in the seats near the front of the store while Hotaru approached the front desk.

"Hello, and welcome to Belle's Dress Emporium. How may I help you this morning?" the lady behind the counter asked.

"I actually have a fitting scheduled for my five bridesmaids and myself. It's scheduled for eight?" Hotaru asked. The lady flipped through her appointment book, nodded, and looked up.

"You're the one who chose 'Midnight Sky' for your bridesmaids dresses. You have impeccable tastes, that was my first ever publicized design. I shall be right back with those. My name's Belle, if you need anything else, please feel free to ask me, or my assistant." the woman gestured to a man, sitting behind a desk filling out paper work. His name tag read Aubrey.

"Thank you." Hotaru replied, bowing. She returned and sat with her friends, who were tiredly discussing what kind of sleep they'd gotten, with the exception of Rini, who was fidgeting with her hands, having too much energy to know what to do so early in the morning.

"So how did you sleep Hotaru?" Serenity turned to her, as she sat.

"I slept alright... Trunks was tossing and turning all night, as though he was having a rough time sleeping, so he kept waking me up on accident. But don't tell him, he'll get upset and start apologizing over and over and over." Hotaru smiled tiredly.

"Aw, you two are so cute." Michiru nudged Hotaru.

"Which of you lovely ladies is first to be fitted?" Aubrey asked, approaching them. Rini hopped up immediately.

"I'll go first." she answered without hesitation. She followed Aubrey as he lead her to the mirrored dais, where he would pin her dress accordingly. She put on the dress and shoes in the changing room just behind the dais and mirrors, and came out. Michiru gasped, Rini's hair had been let down.

"She does look beautiful, Serenity. She's growing into a fine young lady." Setsuna commented.

"She had three wonderful people raise her when I was gone." Serenity smiled wistfully.

"Nonsense, you were a wonderful mother." Michiru assured her, reading into the guilt she knew her queen felt at not always being around for her own child.

"Really?" Serenity asked, watching as her daughter spun around, admiring herself in the mirrors.

"Of course." Setsuna agreed easily.

"She's stealing my thunder." Hotaru laughed, a good-natured smile resting easily on her face. Bulma walked in a few moments later with everyone's food.

"Did someone order muffins and tea?" Bulma asked cheerfully.

"Mmm, yummy, thanks!" Serenity replied taking the muffin and tea that Bulma handed her.

"No problem." Bulma waved off the thanks. She passed out food to the rest of them, and when Rini returned, she handed her food as well. Serenity went up to fit her dress next. And so it went on. Each of the women looked wonderful in their dresses. Even pregnant Serenity looked wonderful. Then, Belle brought out Hotaru's dress.

"I believe it's your turn. I'll be fitting you while Aubrey records all of the alterations necessary to your bridesmaids gowns." Belle informed her.

"That's fine. I should be out of the dressing room shortly." Hotaru smiled. When she came back out of the dressing room, there was a collective gasp from the women in the front.

"Wow Hotaru, you look so beautiful!" Rini was the first to comment. Followed by, "You look gorgeous!" and "Oh, how pretty!" by the rest of the group.

It took a few short moments for Belle to fit the dress properly to Hotaru. Afterwards, Belle totaled the costs and time frame.

"It shouldn't take me more than a week to do all of these dresses for you. That will cost you 10,000 yen per dress." she told them.

"Whoa, that's a great price." Bulma said, surprised.

"Any discount for someone who has such good taste, and looks so beautiful in their gown." Belle smiled. Hotaru blushed.

"Thank you everyone. We really need to get back now, though. I have a lesson today." Hotaru said, and they thanked the lady, and left. They arrived back at the mansion shortly after, and Hotaru changed for her lesson with Vegeta.

After that day, a week went by pretty fast. And after they picked up the dresses, the next week went by even faster. The rehearsal dinner was that Friday night.

"Can you believe it? You're getting married tomorrow." Hotaru looked at Bulma, who'd just reminded her of the obvious.

"Yeah, it seems so unreal." Hotaru replied, watching as everyone ate. "But at the same time, I'm really excited."

"I can see why." she smiled knowingly, glancing at Vegeta. When he saw her smiling at him, he blushed and looked away.

"Baka." he mumbled. Just then, Michiru started to clank on her glass with her spoon.

"I'd like to make a toast." she said, rising. Everyone was now looking at her. Michiru smiled at Hotaru, who was looking at her confused.

"Michiru?" she asked. But the girl ignored her.

"I've known Hotaru for ages. When she went missing, we were all worried. We love her so much. I finally find her, only to realize we're all losing her again, this time to Trunks." Michiru paused, gathering her bearings. "There's nothing more precious to me than Hotaru's happiness, and I'm glad she finally found someone who feels the same way." Michiru smiled down at Hotaru, whose eyes had begun to pool with tears. "Cheers." Everyone began to clap, and Hotaru blushed, embarrassed at such caring words. Her wedding was tomorrow. She would be surrounded by those that she loved. For once, she was the happiest she'd ever been.


End file.
